Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Sunny Yoshasta’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Sunny Yoshasta’, characterized by its uniform, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; strong and freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform flowering habit; early flowering habit; numerous daisy-type inflorescences; light yellow-colored ray florets; and excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about four weeks in an interior environment.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemum×morifoliumcultivar Sunny Yoshasta.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunny Yoshasta’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theChrysanthemum cultivar Shasta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,314.The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor fromwithin a population of plants of the parent cultivar in a controlledenvironment in Travelers Rest, S.C. in February, 1999. The selection ofthis branch mutation was based on its unique ray floret coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttingswas first conducted in Travelers Rest, S.C. Asexual reproduction bycuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemumare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunny Yoshasta has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or lightlevel, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunny Yoshasta’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunny Yoshasta’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum:

1. Uniform, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Strong and freely branching growth habit.

3. Dark green-colored foliage.

4. Uniform flowering habit.

5. Early flowering, 8-week response time.

6. Numerous daisy-type inflorescences.

7. Light yellow-colored ray florets.

8. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining goodsubstance and color for about four weeks in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of thecultivar Shasta in ray floret coloration as plants of the newChrysanthemum have light yellow-colored ray florets whereas plants ofthe cultivar Shasta have white-colored ray florets. In addition, plantsof the new Chrysanthemum flower about one to three days later thanplants of the parent.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of thecultivar Yochesapeake, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,535. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Salinas, Calif., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yochesapeake in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter and more outwardlyspreading than plants of the cultivar Yochesapeake.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had light yellow-colored ray floretswhereas plants of the cultivar Yochesapeake had darker yellow-coloredray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysanthemum showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newChrysanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof typical flowering plants of ‘Sunny Yoshasta’ grown as spray-types.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘Sunny Yoshasta’ grown as spray-types.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown and flowered during the fall in Salinas, Calif., in afiberglass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial potted Chrysanthemum production.During the production of these plants, the following conditions weremeasured: day temperatures, 21 to 27° C.; night temperatures, 17 to l9°C.; and light levels, 5,000 to 6,000 foot-candles. Four unrootedcuttings were directly stuck in 15-cm containers, exposed to longday/short night conditions, and pinched once about 14 days later. At thetime of the pinch, the photoinductive short day/long night treatmentswere initiated. Plants used for the photographs and description weregrown as spray-types. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical flowering plants.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar SunnyYoshasta.

Commercial classification: Daisy-type potted Chrysanthemum.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation ofChrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Shasta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 9,314.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten days at 21° C.

Root description.—White, close to 155D; fibrous.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Herbaceous daisy-type potted Chrysanthemum that is typicallygrown as a spray-type. Uniform with lateral branches upright andoutwardly spreading; uniformly mounded crown. Strong and freelybranching growth habit; about five lateral branches develop afterremoval of terminal apex (pinching); dense and full plants.

Plant height.—About 26 cm.

Plant width.—About 47 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 21 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internodelength: About 1.25 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:Close to 146A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About 6.9cm. Width: About 4.8 cm. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Truncate. Margin:Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes mostly parallel toconvergent. Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture, lowersurface: Pubescent; veins prominent. Color: Developing and fullyexpanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and fully expandedfoliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B.Petiole length: About 1.75 cm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Petiolecolor, upper and lower surfaces: 147B to 147C.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated oblong-shapedray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage. Disk andray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences notfragrant. Plants are typically grown as spray-types.

Flowering response—Under natural conditions, plants flower in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Earlyflowering; plants exposed to three weeks of long day/short nightconditions followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditionsflower about eight weeks later.

Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color andsubstance for about four weeks in an interior environment.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about seven inflorescencesdevelop per lateral branch.

Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape:Oblate. Color: Between 146A and 147A.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.75 cm.

Inflorescence depth (height).—About 2.3 cm.

Diameter of disc.—About 1.7 cm.

Receptacle diameter.—About 7 mm.

Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Orientation: Initially upright,then about 65° from vertical. Aspect: Mostly straight and flat. Length:About 3.4 cm. Corolla tube length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 1.3 cm.Apex: Emarginate. Base: Fused into a corolla tube. Margin: Entire.Texture: Smooth, glabrous, satiny. Number of ray florets perinflorescence: About 30 arranged in two or three whorls. Color: Whenopening, upper surface: Close to 4A. When opening, lower surface: Closeto 4D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 4A to 4B. Fully opened,lower surface: Close to 4D to lighter than 4D.

Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle. Shape:Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About 6.5 mm. Diameter,apex: About 1.25 mm. Diameter, base: About 1 mm. Number of disc floretsper inflorescence: About 178. Color: Immature: Close to 154A. Mature:Apex: 6A. Mid-section: 154D. Base: Close to 155D.

Peduncles.—Length: First peduncle: About 4.8 cm. Fourth peduncle: About9.5 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 10.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle tovertical: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture:Pubescent. Color: 146A.

Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 24. Length: About 7 mm.Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:Entire. Texture, upper surface: Waxy, smooth. Texture, lower surface:Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface:146A to 147A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: Close to 9A. Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Present onboth ray and disc florets. Style color: Close to 144B to 144C. Stigmacolor: Close to 9A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toChrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under commercialgreenhouse conditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed ‘Sunny Yoshasta’, as illustrated and described.